


Of Life's Lemons and Clumsy Decisions

by some_random



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Growing Up Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Naruto grows up with the Uchihas, Romance, Sibling Rivalry, Slow Burn, minor Naruto/other, minor Sasuke/other, naruto is still unfortunately an orphan, naruto plays baseall, or maybe just rivalry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/some_random/pseuds/some_random
Summary: Little Sasuke has always loved and looked out for his best friend Naruto, so when his parents died, it was evidently up to Sasuke to protect Naruto.And Mikoto thought the boys will always be this sweet...
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	Of Life's Lemons and Clumsy Decisions

(0-years-old)

"Kushina!" Mikoto exclaimed happily, "My goodness, you're about to pop! I could have come over to you!"

"Nonsense, Mikoto-chan," Kushina wrapped her friend in her arms the best she could given the bump, beaming from ear to ear, "It's not easy having a little one in tow, especially since Fugaku is out of town right now. I didn't even walk here, I have Minato to drive me around."

"Mikoto, sorry for disturbing," Minato stepped in behind his wife, carrying a couple of bags, "We're so excited to see little Sasuke! Ah, Ita-chin, how are you doing, little man?"

"Mini-ji-chan! Kushi-ba-chan! Welcome, I'm doing well. I'm helping mama with Sasuke-chan!" Little Itachi ran over and threw his arms around Minato in greeting.

"You're being an awesome big brother aren't you?" Kushina ruffled his hair, and the child nodded eagerly.

"Mama says I'm going to be an awesome older brother again soon with Kushi-ba's baby!"

"That's right, soon you'll have two little babies to play with, Itachi. You're going to have to set a great example." Mikoto smiled at her eldest as she led the way to Sasuke's room.

"Oh my goodness, Mikoto, he's gorgeous!" Kushina cooed as she leaned down to stroke the baby's porcelain cheek in his crib with her fingers, "So soft~! There really isn't anything as squishy as a baby's cheeks! You don't need to look twice to know he's a little Uchiha!"

"Kushina, you're going to wake the baby," Minato sweat dropped. "Let the baby sleep."

"Let's go have some cake and tea then?" Kushina straightened up with more agility than an average pregnant woman. "Itachi, want some cake? Mini-ji-chan brought cake."

"Yes, I want cake!"

"Alright then, go help Mini-ji-chan with the tea okay? Mikoto, come, come, Minato's got it, especially with Itachi around to help!" Kushina chimed as she pulled her friend towards the living room like this was _her_ home.

"Okay, okay, Kushina," Mikoto entertained her friend, "Still as energetic as ever, aren't your feet swollen?"

"Eh? Now that you mentioned it, I need to sit down~ I was so excited about little Sasuke I forgot!" Kushina fell heavily into the couch with a groan, "Mikoto, I can't wait until Naruto is born and he can play with little Sasuke. Can you imagine? It will be so cute!"

"I hope they get along, I'm looking forward to play dates. Who knows with two little boys, I hope they're not too mischievous!"

"They'll get along for sure! I'll make them get along," Kushina's eyes fired up.

Mikoto chuckled, "Too bad they're both boys, if you had a girl, she could have her pick between Itachi or Sasuke. Then maybe we'll actually become real family."

Kushina looked at Mikoto slyly, waggling her eyebrows, "Well, who says that might not just happen?"

"Hey now, both of you stop plotting with your children," Minato walked over and placed two cups of tea in front of the women, Itachi following behind him with all the concentration a five-year-old on cake carrying duty can have.

"We're just joking, we can only dream," Mikoto laughed.

* * *

(4.5-years-old)

"Sa-chan! Come out! Let's go play!" Naruto called out in a sing-song voice through the makeshift megaphone he created with his hands. His little body rocked back and forth with every drawn syllable.

Sure enough, Sasuke's head appeared at the window, a little pout about his lips as he slid it open, "Naruto, I have to read and study!"

"Read? Study?" A shock of blond hair tipped to the side as bright blue eyes looked up quizzically, "But why? We haven't started school yet!"

"Because, I have to be just as good-"

"Ara- Naruto-kun," Mikoto opened the front door before Sasuke finished speaking, "Sasuke, why don't we ask Naruto to come in. Let's try no to yell in the streets, okay honey?"

She chuckled as Naruto greeted her excitedly and ran past her, headed straight to Sasuke's room. The little blond's appearance in their house was now almost a daily occurrence since the Uzumaki's moved a few houses down.

"So, why do you have to read and study, Sa-chan?" Naruto peered curiously over Sasuke's shoulders at the books with not enough pictures on them.

"That's what I was saying, I have to do better than nii-chan. Everybody is always talking about how great nii-chan is," Sasuke suddenly turned to Naruto, a determined glint in his big black eyes, "Besides, I want nii-chan to be proud of me too!"

"Eh? So you don't want to play with me anymore?" Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together to a worried frown.

"Hn," Sasuke nodded with resolve, "Sorry, Naru-chan, I can't play. I have to study more now."

"But," Naruto pouted and eyed the books warily, "It'll be lonely, if we can't play together anymore."

Sasuke blinked at his little blond friend, it _would_ be lonely without seeing his best friend. But, you have to work hard, right? He racked his brain for ideas so he could still hang out with his best friend.

"I know!" Naruto exclaimed, "I'll study with you too! That way I can be smart like 'Tachi-nii and still be with Sa-chan!"

"Yeah!" Sasuke nodded eagerly, "We can study together!"

"Is that what you boys are going to do now?" Mikoto asked, amused, as she came into the room with juice and snacks for the kids.

"That's right Mikoto-ba! I'll study with Sa-chan! Believe it!" Naruto clapped happily.

Mikoto raised her eyebrows at the little blond and bit off a chuckle, "If you say so, Naruto-kun. But it's okay to just play too, you'll have plenty of time to study when school starts, boys."

She considered her hurricane of a best friend as she listened to the little hurricane declare his battle with the books, and wondered how long the little guy could sit still once he started studying.

It lasted until Itachi came home from school, Mikoto was surprised it had lasted that long already. She had heard Sasuke telling Naruto to be quiet, and Naruto had ran up and down the stairs several times to help her with the chores, looking for excuses not to sit still and study. He always returned to Sasuke though, to try to study next to him.

"I'm home," Itachi called out from the foyer.

Not five seconds later, two pairs of pattering feet made their way down the stairs, Sasuke got to his brother first.

"Nii-chan! I've been studying today! I've learnt all the hiragana characters now! I can show you!" Sasuke chirped excitedly as Itachi ruffled his hair.

"That's really impressive Sasuke, you haven't even started kindergarten yet," Itachi poked his brother's forehead.

"TACHI-NII! I HATE YOU!"

Well, that was quite an excited greeting Itachi did not expect from the blond. What had he done to Naruto?

"Sa-chan won't play with me because he has to study! Because he has to be like 'Tachi-nii! You stole Sa-chan from playing with me!"

"Uh-oh, is that so?" Itachi huffed out a small laughter, amused.

"Well, you can study with me, you're just bad at sitting still. It's not nii-chan's fault," Sasuke frowned at his friend.

"But- but, it's not fun, and Sa-chan won't let me talk when he's studying!"

"Well, if that is the case, how about I play with you then, Naruto? We can leave Sasuke to study in peace, and I'll take you to the park-"

"NO!" Sasuke stamped his foot and squared his shoulders, "That's not fair!"

"How is that unfair? You want to study right, Sasuke?" Itachi teased, tickled from Sasuke's outburst. His little brother had always had a possessive streak. He always made himself available when Itachi's friends came around to the house making it clear it was _his_ nii-chan's time that they were up. The littlest Uchiha even indignantly banned all the other children his age to come close to Itachi, barring the exception of Naruto.

Evidently, as time went on, that exception was only a one way street, solely Sasuke had all the dibs on Naruto.

" _I'm_ Naru-chan's best friend, you can't play with him without me!" Sasuke bristled as he grabbed the blond child and threw his arms around his shoulders.

"Sa-chan!" Naruto giggled happily and pressed his chubby cheek against Sasuke's own, holding him just as tight, "Then let's all play together okay?"

"Okay, I'll study when you go home," Sasuke smiled and held on to Naruto's hand, turning to Itachi haughtily with his chin up, "Take us to the park then, nii-chan."

* * *

(6-years-old)

Sasuke saw Naruto first, he always did. He exclaimed the little blond's name and ran directly to him, leaving his family behind.

Naruto was already gripping onto Sasuke when she reached them, his small shoulders jerking with his tears. The tears had started the moment Sasuke reached out protectively to hold his friend in his little arms.

"Naruto," Mikoto knelt with a sad smile and a tender look in her eyes. The child turned his face from Sasuke's shoulder to look at her, doing his darnedest to blink away tears, teeth clenched in a grimace in a struggle to contain his sniffling. "If you accept, come live with us. If you wish, we will be your family."

Her words prompted her son to pull away from his little blond friend, his own eyes wide and red from crying as he met big blue ones. Naruto turned his stunned gaze to Mikoto. She held out her hand to brush some tears away from the child, and paused at the scars on his face. Mikoto bit back her own tears as her heart wrenched for Naruto, for her beautiful best friend and her husband, so cruelly torn away from this world, from their child, now all alone... But that is not true, she will not let that be true at least, he will not be alone.

"We can't replace your parents, nor do we intend to, but we will take care of you as well as any parents would their child," Fugaku said, voice hushed and brows furrowed in a rare display of emotion.

"Sasuke? Can I...?" A choked noise escaped from his mouth as Naruto turned back to look at Sasuke, he struggled to continue through his tearful hiccups.

"Yes! We will be your family! I will protect you!" Sasuke nodded vigorously and answered with all the determination a six-year-old could muster, "Mama, Papa, and 'Tachi nii-chan, we will all be your family!"

This broke another dam within the blond child. Big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks, "Mikoto 'ba-chan, I-, momma and papa...no more momma and papa...gone...s-sleeping forever...wahhhh!"

Mikoto took the child in her arms, and let her own tears fall. Sasuke pressed his lips together and gathered his cherubic features into a determined frown, he stepped over to them and did his best to hold both his best-friend-now-family and his mom in his arms.

That night, Naruto became a permanent resident of the Uchiha family.

* * *

(7-years-old)

Naruto shot up from his bed, startled awake by his own yelp. Another nightmare, his little hands clutched at his t-shirt, he couldn't save his mommy and daddy again, he couldn't stop the truck from coming, he couldn't yell in time for papa to swerve out of the way.

"Naruto?" A sleepy Sasuke rubbed his eyes at the doorway to his best friend's room, "It's okay, I'm here."

"Sa-chan," his lips quivered as blue eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill over.

Sasuke padded over to the bed and climbed in next to Naruto, whose lips and nose were scrunched up in a battle against his tears.

"I will protect you," Sasuke patted a head of soft blond hair and gently ran his thumb across the scars on one of Naruto's cheek as he rested their foreheads against each other, "I'm your big brother now."

"But..." Naruto panicked, his papa couldn't protect him, how could Sa-chan who's so small...

"I promise," Sasuke nodded confidently, extending the first two fingers of his right hand.

Naruto stared and held out his own, he wrapped them around Sasuke's fingers and made a small noise of agreement.

"It's okay, I promise," Sasuke wrapped his arms around the disheveled warm bundle of orange, pulling them down to settle in the bed, "I'll protect you."

* * *

(10-years-old)

"What's wrong with your face? You look funny," the kid snickered, nudging at his friends and pointing at Naruto.

"What did you say?" Naruto caught his baseball and turned to glare at the one who spoke.

"He said you look funny, what are those? Whiskers?" The second boy laughed, making a face at the blond.

"You look like my dog. What, do you have a problem with-"

Before the first boy could finish his sentence, Naruto had thrown himself at him, a barrage of fists raining down haphazardly. His two friends started at the sudden fight, and quickly engaged in pulling and tugging the blond off of him, shoving him against the ground.

"You've got guts to fight me!" The first boy had sat up and briskly wiped a sleeve across his face, "I'll show _you_ for punching me!"

Naruto tried his best as the kid made for him, fist raised and teeth bared. He kicked and punched wildly, trying to get any of the three boys to connect with his hits as he struggled to stand up.

"Get off of him!"

Naruto heard Sasuke's familiar voice as one of the guys was suddenly jerked away from him. It startled the other two enough that he was able to get up _and_ throw a punch at one of them. From his periphery he could see Sasuke put the second boy down with a kick to the stomach. Naruto dodged a punch and headbutted the third boy, next to him, Sasuke had started scuffling with the stupid kid who started it all.

With a growl, he grabbed at him even as the second guy got up to throw his arm around from behind Naruto's shoulders to pull him back.

"Leave Sasuke alone, you stupid dog breath!" He yelled as he pulled the boy off of Sasuke and pushed the one behind him at the same time.

"Hey! What are you kids doing?"

All five kids froze as an older lady appeared by the park, rapidly headed towards the group.

"Where are your parents? What school do you boys go to?"

"Crap, Kiba, Tenchi, come on. Let's go!" One of the boys called out and scrambled to his feet, pulling his friends along as they ran away.

"C'mon Sasuke," Naruto said in a hurry as he pulled Sasuke up, grabbing his baseball and glove as they also ran off.

It wasn't until they were around the corner from their house that they stopped to catch their breath, adrenaline pumping through their veins. Naruto looked over at Sasuke's busted lip and generally messed up appearance as they bent over, huffing and puffing. Sasuke stared right back, a smirk starting to appear on his face.

"You look like crap."

"Shut up, you do too," Naruto panted, his grin growing bigger despite his comment. He started laughing wholeheartedly, prompting Sasuke to break out in his own chuckle.

"Mum's probably gonna kill us," Sasuke laughed.

"Then we'll die together," Naruto returned, straightening up with a beam.

"I guess that's how it has to be," Sasuke shrugged, following Naruto towards their house.

"Yeah... thanks Sasuke."


End file.
